SDA gives out over $16K worth of free dental services

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and 40 youngsters on Saipan received free dental services amounting to $16,841 from Saipan Seventh-day Adventist Clinic last Feb. 3.

Friday’s event marked the island’s fourth year of taking part in the Give Kids A Smile Program of the American Dental Association. Thousands of dentists and their dental teams across the nation provide free oral health care services to children from low-income families every first Friday of February.

Some 30 SDA Clinic staffers, including clinic director Kenneth D. Pierson, dentists William J.B. Shearer, Michael D. Stafford, Stacy R. Stroup, Sarah-Jane Harebottle Shearer, and registered dental hygienists Beverly Moretti and Lori Serna, provided the free services.

This is the 10th year of the program which attracted the participation of over 9,000 dentists and close to 30,000 volunteers, all of whom helped over 405,000 children to receive dental health care services.

“The objective is to bring awareness to the needs of children’s dental health,” said Serna in an interview at the clinic on Friday.

While children are considered a “very underserved population” and “a population in need” in terms of oral health care, Serna pointed out that many of them don’t receive oral health care since many families deem dental insurance as “a bonus or a luxury.”

“A lot of children end up without dental insurance and they, unfortunately, are the ones at most risk,” she told Saipan Tribune.

At the same time, Serna emphasized how many parents are misinformed in caring for their children’s teeth, thinking that “it’s just baby teeth, it will fall out.”

“They don’t realize that the last baby teeth will fall out when the children are 13. So what, you’re not going to take care of their teeth for 13 years? But people don’t understand this,” she said.

Serna underscored that just because a child is old enough to hold on to a toothbrush does not necessarily mean that they can take care of their teeth on their own. Usually, she said, children cannot really do a good job brushing their teeth until they’re about 9 years old.

“Between the poor nutrition children get and the poor oral health care that they cannot take care of their teeth, it becomes a recipe for disaster,” said Serna. “By the time we see them when they’re 2 or 3 years old, every single tooth in their mouth has a cavity.”

This is why SDA takes part in the annual program to bring awareness to the importance of oral hygiene and to call on other dental care providers to do their own share in addressing the problem, explained Serna, adding that SDA is the only clinic that participates in the nationwide program.

Serna noted how the number of community members availing of the Give Kids A Smile and their other outreach programs like Clinic With A Heart has decreased since last year, owing to Medicaid which Serna said “really made a difference.”

In celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month, Serna said SDA will also be publishing articles in the newspaper on proper dental care, do public service announcements, and conduct presentations in various schools.

Serna stressed the importance of taking care of children’s teeth, urging parents to celebrate their children’s birthday by bringing them to SDA Clinic as they give free dental exams. “The earlier the good habits are started, the better.”

Garapan resident Liza C. Anda said she took time off of work to bring her daughter, 5-year-old Areeza, to get her teeth checked.

“I’m very thankful that SDA is doing this outreach to benefit the children. It’s a big help given the high cost of dental health care these days. Hopefully all dental providers would do the same,” said Anda.

Malua T. Peter, who brought her grandchildren, Anthony Malighar, 6, and Pio Nogis, 9 to avail of the free dental services, said SDA is “very generous” to be providing free dental services for children. She expressed concern for those parents whose children have yet to see a dentist to look into their teeth.

“It’s very critical that they do that… It’s very important for their child to have good teeth because it contributes to good health,” said Peter.

The young patients, including their parents, also received freebies such as toothbrush, floss, and booklets on how to take care of their children’s teeth during their visit to SDA Clinic.